Robert Hegge

, a prodigy of his time for forward and good natural parts, was born within the City of Durham, an. 1599. admitted Scholar of C. C. coll. 7. Nov. 1614. Prob. Fellow thereof 27. Dec. 1624. being then M. of A. and accounted, considering his age, the best in the University for the Mathematical faculty, History, and Antiquities, (and therefore much beloved by Tho. Allen of Gloucester hall) as afterward he was for his excellent knowledge in the Sacred Scripture, as may be seen in certain books he wrote, the titles of which follow.

Teatise of Dials and dialling. MS. in C. C. coll. Library. In which book is the picture of the Dial in the said college Garden, made by Nich. Kratzer (whom I have mention’d under the year 1550.) with a short discourse upon it. In like manner there is the picture of that fair Cylinder standing on a Pedestal in the middle of the said coll. quadrangle, made by Charles Turnball, 1605. with a short discourse on it, which he intitles Horologium Sciotericum in gratiam speciosissimi Horoscopii in area quadrata. C. C. C. &c.

The Legend of S. Cuthbert with the antiquities of the Church of Durham—written 1626. and left in MS. behind him at his death, so exactly and neatly written, that many have taken it to be printed. Afterwards a Copy of it, under the authors hand, coming into the possession of Thomas Lord Fairfax, was by him reposed as a precious Monument in his Library of MSS. At length one who writes himself R. B. Esq;. (sometimes of the retinue of the said Lord, as I have been informed) published it at Lond. 1663. in oct. in a very bad letter and worse Paper, not without some derogation to the memory of the author by concealing his name, and putting the two first letters of his own, with the writing a Prologue, to it. The truest Copy under the authors hand is now in the possession of Dr. Edw. Pocock Can. of Ch. Ch. and the Kings Hebr. Professor of this University, having an Epistle to the Reader before it under the authors own hand, dated 1. Jul. 1626. which the printed hath not. Betwixt this MS. and the printed Copy I find much difference; there being in the latter many omissions, some additions, besides literal mistakes, (especially in names of men and places) and several passages transpos’d.

In aliquot Sacrae paginae loca lectiones. Lond. 1647. in 4. sh. or more, in qu. published by John Hall of Greys Inn, (whom I shall anon mention) who in his Preface to the said Lections tells us, that if they took, and were approv’d by Scholars, he had more laying by him to publish; but whether he did so, or not, I cannot tell. Our author Hegge also left behind him 4. or 5. Sermons fit for the Press, learned suppositions in C. C. C. Chappel, verses, Cat. of Schol. and Fell. of C. C. coll. &c. All which, or at least some of them, are at this day in the Libr. of the said college. He died suddenly of an apoplexy, to the great reluctancy of those who were acquainted with his admirable parts, 1629 on the eleventh of June in sixteen hundred twenty and nine, (having scarce attained to the thirtieth year of his age) and was buried in the Chappel of the said coll. As for John Hall before mentioned, who had a great respect for his memory and his works, and was well acquainted with, if not allied to, his relations, was born also in the said City of Durham of gentile Parents, in Aug. 1627. and being fitted for the University was hindred from going to it by the eruption of the Civil War. Whereupon giving himself solely up to studies at home, especially in the Library at Durham, improved himself to a miracle. After Oxon was reduced by the Parliament forces in the year 1646. at which time the Wars were ceased, he was sent to S. Johns coll. in Cambridge, where he had not been there many months, e’re came forth the first issue of his prodigious wit, entit. Horae vacivae, or Essayes, with some occasional considerations. Lond. 1646. oct. with his Picture before them, aged 19. The sudden breaking forth of which, amazed not only the University, as I am instructed by one (*)(*) John Davies in his Pres. or Prol. before Joh. Halls translation of H [••] r [•] cles upon the golden verses of Phyth [•] goras, &c. of his Fellow Collegiats, but the more serious part of men in the three Nations, where they were spread. The same year, about New-years time, came out his Poems. Lond. 1646. and with them The second book of divine Poems. Pr. in oct. Both which books were much admired. After he had continued more than an year at Cambridge, in the condition of a Commoner and Gent. Com. he was translated to Greys Inn, where he added to the Structure of a most admirable Romance, intit. Lucenia, which he had began in Cambridge, but by the lending it forth to a friend, it was smother’d. In 1648. his mind being sufficiently known to encline towards a Commonwealth, he sided with the Independent and wrote A Satyr against Presbytery, and in 1649. he published An humble motion to the Parliament of England concerning the advancement of Learning, and Reformation of the Vniversities. Printed at Lond. in 6. sh. in qu. In which taking occasion to court the then Rulers, got him a present sum of Money, and a Pension of 100. l. per an. from the Councel. About the same time he wrote Four Paradoxes, to which he added two more in 1653. Published at Lond. 1653. in tw. under the name of Joh. de la Salle, by Joh. Davies of Kidwelly: And in 1650. being commanded by the Councel of State into Scotland to attend Oliver Cromwell, to make such observations on affairs there, as might conduce to the setling of the interests of the Commonwealth, he wrote a book intit. The grounds and reasons of Monarchy, with an Appendix of An Epitomy of the Scotish affairs: Both printed at Edenburgh in qu. and afterwards at London. About that time he was called to the Barr, and sometimes pleaded, and in 1651. he published A Gag to Loves Advocates, &c. wherein he justified the Parliaments proceedings in the execution of Christop. Love a forward and busie Presbyterian. What other things he either wrote or published, are briefly these. (1) A Preface before, with remarks upon a book intit. A true relation of the unjust, cruell, and barbarous proceedings against the English at Amboyna in the E. Indies, by the Netherlandish Government and Councell there. Which book, tho it had been published in the latter end of the Reign of K. Jam. 1. and the third time at Lond. 1632. in qu. Joh. Hall thought it necessary to revive it at that time (1651.) because of the then differences between the Dutch and the English. This book he dedicated to the General O. Cromwell, and was much bought up. Whereupon the Dutch Embassador residing then in Westminster, made a complaint of that book and demanded punishment on the reviver of it, but the Parliament thinking it a seasonable service done to the publick, took no notice of it. (2) He rendred into English from the Original The height of Eloquence, written by Dionis. Longinus. Lond. 1652. oct. Dedicated to Balstrade Whitlock one of the Commissioners of the Great Seal. (3) He wrote A Letter from a Gent. in the Country concerning, &c. an. 1653. (just after the Long Parliament was dissolv’d) tending to settle the humours of the people in that great emergency. (4) Answer to the grand politick Informer. Printed 1653. fol. which Politick Informer being a virulent Pamphlet writen upon the Assembly of Barbone’s Parliament, and therefore censured and suppressed, it was thought expedient that Hall should answer it, and he was well rewarded for it from the Exchequer. He put out Lusus Serius, in 1654. written in Lat. by Mich. Majerus: Half of which almost was done in one afternoon, over a glass of Wine in a Tavern. (6) He made a translation of Hicrocles upon the golden verses of Pythagoras, teaching a vertuous and worthy life. Published after his death, by his friend John Davies of Kidwelly—Lond. 1657. oct. with other things, as Poems, Translations, Treatises, which were never published. At length being overtaken with a disease, which he could not thoroughly shake off, he left London in Jul. 1655. and retiring to Durham, died there on the first of Aug. 1656. having not fully arrived to the 29th. year of his age, and was buried there, near to the grave of his Father, who died about an year before, just after his Sons arrival there. To conclude; had not his debauches and intemperance diverted him from the more serious studies, he had make an extraordinary person; for no man had ever done so great things at his age: So was the opinion of the great Philosopher of Malmsbury. Besides this John Hall of Durham, were others of both his names and writers, as Joh. Hall of Richmond author Of Government and Obedience, in four books. Lond. 1654. fol. and of other things, and another John Hall author of The true Cavalier examined by his principles, and found not guilty, either of Schism or Sedition. Lond. 1656. besides other matters. A third also, who was Bach. of Div. now, or lately, living, was author of Jacobs Ladder: or, the [〈◊〉] souls ascension to heaven in Prayers. &c.